Huddersfield Giants moved into fifth place in the Super League table with a 38-22 victory over London Broncos, who have now lost their first 17 games of the season while showing some improvement on their recent performances.
The Giants, welcoming Leroy Cudjoe back into their side, took the lead after four minutes when Scott Grix scored after a Craig Kopczak break, with Danny Brough kicking the conversion from near touch.
Thomas Minns then appeared to score for the Broncos after collecting a Josh Drinkwater kick, but was held up over the line.
Brough then worked a move that saw Brett Ferres touching down for the Giants’ second try, which he converted.
Jermaine McGillvary scored their third try with an exciting individual effort, and Ferres then combined with Wardle for the fourth, with Brough missing an easy conversion attempt for a 22-0 lead.
Then came a great individual try from James Cunningham, the Broncos’ stand-off half, who is currently on loan from Hull FC. Josh Drinkwater added the goal to make it 22-6 at half-time.
McGillvary got the scoring under way in the second half with an unconverted try.
The Broncos fought back, though, when Josh Drinkwater picked up a dropped ball and ran 90 yards to touch down, hotly pursued by McGillvary. Drinkwater converted his own try to make it 26-12 after 55 minutes.
And two minutes later they were back in the game, when Denny Solomona scored in the corner after jumping for a kick. Although Drinkwater couldn’t add the goal the margin was now just ten points.
The Giants’ anxieties were calmed, however, on 62 minutes when some smart passing led to Jodie Broughton touching down in the left corner, with Brough adding a fine conversion. And Wardle then broke through the Broncos’ line to touch down under the posts, with Brough’s conversion making it 38-16.
The Broncos were the last to score, however, when Mason Caton-Brown touched down after Nick Slyney had been held up over the line, with Drinkwater adding the conversion to make the final score 38-22.
James Cunningham suffered a head knock and was brought off the field a minute before the end of the game.
A full report, pictures and analysis will feature in Monday’s edition of Rugby League Express.
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